Our Top 20 Dishwasher Loading (and Use) Tips

There is no other home equipment that is as divisive as the dishwasher. How many arguments have you had over how to best load the dishwasher? Or who will be the one to empty it? Or who threw the soiled fork in with the clean ones?

We’ve compiled this giant list to assist rescue families and roommate relationships all across the world. It contains all of our dishwasher-related tips, methods, and recommendations.

1. Reduce the amount of dishwashing detergent you use. No, it’s a lot less than that.

The majority of us use excessive dishwashing detergent. It’s much too much. Not only can too much detergent cost us money, but it may also damage our plates or make our glasses blurry. You don’t need nearly as much as the packaging suggests, whether you’re using liquid, powder, or even pods.

2. Arrange plates in the middle of the table.

Because the sprayer arm operates from the Centre out, put plates — plus cutting boards, sheet pans, and so on! — into the dishwasher facing the middle. They’ll be guaranteed to receive the right spray treatment this way.

3. Add a bowl of vinegar to the mix every now and again.

If you live in an area with hard water, you may notice stains on your dishes or foggy glasses. What is the most straightforward solution? Before starting a cycle, place a bowl of vinegar on the top rack. It will function as a rinse aid and will help to remove hard water stains.

4. You might also use a rinse aid.

In addition to removing hard water stains, rinse aid may help your dishes dry faster, which is useful if you’re saving energy by skipping the heat cycle or if your dishes are still wet after the heat cycle has finished.

5. Use the detergent that our Editor-in-Chief recommends.

Faith Durand, our Editor-in-Chief, has strong feelings about dishwashers and detergent. She is gradually transitioning the rest of the Kitchen crew to Grab Green Natural Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Powder.

6. Put your washing in a mesh bag.

Mesh laundry bags are technically supposed to preserve delicate unmentionables in the washing machine, but they may also be used in the kitchen. Fill one with little objects and set it on the top rack to protect them from getting lost in the shuffle.

7. There’s also a wire dish rack.

Consider a wire dish rack for objects that are too large for a mesh washing bag but not big enough to turn around during a cycle (looking at you, Glad containers!). Use it to secure goods by turning it upside down.

8. Take care of it.

You’d assume dishwashers are naturally clean, but they may accumulate food debris, soap residue, and muck that must be washed away over time. It’s not difficult; all that needs to be done is for it to be done.

9. Use it to clean some unexpected objects.

Your dishwasher is capable of doing more than simply washing your dishes. It may also be used to clean cabinet hardware, fake succulents, light switch covers, and other surfaces.

10. Start from the bottom.

Start with the bottom rack when it’s time to put the all-clean dishes away. This way, if there’s any water on the top rack, it won’t pour all over the dry dishes below. Remember, it’s not a good idea to store still-wet dishes in your cabinets.

11. Alter the contents of your silverware basket.

While many lists recommend sorting your silverware as you place it into the dishwasher to make it quicker to unload after it’s clean, we recommend against it. If you group your spoons all together, they’ll most likely nest into one another and get unclean. Instead, sort them by type and set some on top and others on the bottom.

12. Before starting the dishwasher, run the faucet in your sink for a few moments.

Turn on your sink faucet and run the water until it’s hot to the touch before starting the dishwasher. This manner, instead of being chilly, your initial dishwasher fill cycle will be hot. During the winter, this is a very crucial recommendation.

13. Put an end to rinsing your dishes.

Although you should scrape any remaining food from your plates before placing them in the dishwasher, you do not need to rinse them. In fact, doing so may reduce the soap’s effectiveness.

14. Remove any valuable knives from the area.

There are a slew of items you shouldn’t put in the dishwasher, but your pricey knives are at the top of the list.

15. Keep an eye out for the sprayer arm.

As previously said, your dishwasher is likely to include a sprayer arm or ring at the bottom. Take a moment to find it. Do you see it? Make sure you don’t block it now. You can cover it with a large mixing bowl and have the cleanest mixing bowl in the world, but the rest of the items in the load will still be unclean at the conclusion of the cycle.

16. It may also be used as a drying rack.

Hand-washing a lot of dishes? Or maybe just a few of enormous, bulky ones that won’t fit on your countertop drying rack? Open the dishwasher door, take out the empty racks, and you’re done! Drying racks in a flash

17. Open it to get rid of the cooking spray.

It’s a pain to coat muffin tins, cake pans, or casserole dishes with cooking spray. If you’re not cautious, a film will form on your whole countertop. Try spraying the stream into a dirty or empty dishwasher to contain it.

18. You may use it as a plate warming.

The same heated air that you use to dry your dishes may also be utilized as a cycle. Look for the plate warmer option on your dishwasher if you’re serving a gourmet dinner or your kitchen is a touch chilly than you’d like.

19. Don’t throw away your old dishwashing baskets.

This tip was sent to us by a reader, and it may come in helpful if you’re fortunate enough to obtain a new dishwasher: “Recycle your old dishwasher’s baskets and racks. The old baskets can frequently fit inside your new dishwasher, or you can use them to store odds and ends in the pantry or below your sink. The racks may be used to store items in your garage or beneath a bed.”

20. Read the instruction handbook.

Most appliance instructions wind up in a stack with other appliance manuals, as we all know. However, it’s worthwhile to dig out yours or hunt for it online. Why? Because most manufacturers include a schematic showing how to properly load the appliance. At the very least, it will serve as confirmation to your spouse that you are doing everything correctly.

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